I never got to say goodbye
by Chibi-Cloud
Summary: Takes place during TOOT. Link has finally retrieved the three spiritual stones and has returned to the kokiri forest, but...how long can he stay when the others just see him as 'Mr. No-Fairy' or 'The weirdo who murdered the Great Deku Tree' R
1. Winter Sorrows

Disclaimer: Zelda is copyrighted by Nintendo!!!

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Saria slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times to get them adjusted to the bright light.  She rolled over and saw her fairy sleeping next to her on her pillow, shivering a little.  Saria sat up in bed and pulled her covers tightly about herself.  Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she ran to her window.

"It snowed last night! Katya!  It snowed!" Saria cried happily, jumping back onto her bed.

Her fairy flapped her wings excitedly from the pillow she had been sleeping on. "Really? Let me see! I want to see!" She quickly flew to Saria and landed in her silky, green hair. "Ooo…so pretty…"

It looked as though the Kokiri forest had been transformed into a winter wonderland.  The little houses were covered in a thick blanket of snow and delicate, diamond-like icicles hung down from the branches in the trees, and snowflakes had frozen onto parts of the windows, creating beautiful designs on them.  The sky was perfectly blue and cloudless.  The sun's light caused the snow to sparkle like stars in the night sky.

Saria grabbed a pair of mittens and her scarf and ran outside.  The other Kokiri were also beginning to romp around in the snow.  Some were building snowmen and others were having snowball fights while some simply sat around, admiring the beauty of winter.  Saria watched them play for a while and considered joining them.

"If we have a snowball fight, I promise I'll be on your side." Katya said, getting excited. 

"How do you know the other team won't accidently mistake _you_ for a snowball?" Saria asked her fairy who was currently glowing white.

"Hey Saria!"

Saria turned around in the direction of the voice. "Hi Mido!" 

Mido, the self-appointed leader of the Kokiri, swaggered up to her, looking very bossy and pompous…as usual. "Do you want to be on my team for the snowball fight?"

"Mido's got great aim!" His fairy piped up. "You don't have to worry about a thing! He'll protect you!"

"Yeah!" Mido agreed.

"What's the point of a snowball fight without the risk of getting hit?" Katya asked, flying in a slow circle around Saria's head.

"Maybe I'll play with you later." Saria said, ignoring the disappointed look on Mido's face. "I have to do something first."

"…Oh, okay then." Mido said, looking slightly suspicious.

Saria could feel his gaze on her as she made her way towards the lone tree house, but ignored it.  She looked up and could see a melancholy looking boy sitting on the ladder with his head resting in his hands.  A small blue light was hovering near his pointed ear.

"Hey! Link!" 

Link and his fairy looked up in surprise. "Oh…Hi Saria."

Saria climbed up the ladder and sat down next him.  "Do you want to be on my team for the snowball fight?" She asked.

"But no one will let me play with them…If I'm on your team, then they won't let you play either." Link answered, looking even more depressed.

"Nonsense! Of course they'll let you play with them!  Come on!" Saria said, tugging on his arm.

"But…I'm still Mr. No-Fairy, even _with_ Navi." Link said, pointing to his fairy. "They'll never accept me as just Link."

"Yeah right.  That only because you never give them a chance to change their ways.  Come on!"

"But --"

"No more buts!  Just come with me.  They'll let you join, I'm sure of it!" Saria said and dragged a protesting Link along with her as she headed towards a group of Kokiri. 

The Kokiri stopped throwing snowballs when they saw Saria approaching with Link trying to brace himself so that Saria couldn't drag him any further. 

"Hi!  Can we join you?" Saria asked, pointing to Link and herself.

The others looked at each other in silence.  Finally, one girl said, "Sure, why not? The more the merrier!"

"Yeah!" Chorused the rest of the group.

"I want Link on my team!" Saria and Link heard a couple people yell out at the same time.

"No! Our team!" A few more people yelled back.

Saria stifled her laughter at the sight of two of the teams fighting over which team Link should be on while Link stared at them, dumbfounded. 

"See? I told you they'd let you join." Saria said with a rather smug grin on her face.

Link blushed a little, "Okay, so you were right."

"No she is not!"

Every stopped what they were doing as Mido stomped up to Link.  "Get out of here! You're not welcome among us any more!"

"But Mido!" Several Kokiri argued.

"He killed the Great Deku Tree!  Why do you welcome the murdering loser to join you in your fun and games?" Mido roared at them.

"What proof do you have that Link really did kill the Great Deku Tree?" Saria demanded.

Mido's features softened a little, then hardened again as he glared at Link. "He was last seen with the Great Deku Tree before he died!"

"Something could have happened in between the time Link was with the Great Deku Tree and the time he died, but that doesn't mean necessarily had anything to do with it!" Saria yelled.

"So then what's the sword for?" Mido growled, pointing to the sword that was slung over Link's shoulder. "Is the sword for cutting down the grass in front of my house?  Of course not!  That sword is meant for killing!  What better a target for a murderer than a giant tree that can't move?!?"

Several people gasped.  Saria eyes flashed dangerously, "What…did you say…about the Great…Deku….Tree?" she said, struggling to control her temper.

Mido ignored her and struck Link down in the snow.  

"Link!" Saria cried, rushing to his side.

Navi threw herself at Mido, "What was that for you mangy, no-good, stuck-up, pig-headed, lazy jerk??? How dare you do that to him!!! Die! Die! Die!!! He never killed the Great Deku Tree! I was with him the whole time!

"Oh!  Now you're trying to cover up for him!"

"You wish, peanut brain!"

Link sat up in the snow, wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.  The look on his face was of pure hate as well as of hurt feelings.  Without a word, he got up and, not bothering to brush the snow off, and left swiftly.

"Not look at what you've done!" Saria snapped.

Everyone looked surprised.  Saria was the generally the nicest, happiest, and most patient person they knew.  They had rarely seen her get as mad as she was now. Everyone was beginning to cower a little, all…except for Mido, who stood glaring at her.

"He deserved it!  And why should I care anyways?  He's not even one of us!" he yelled as Saria stomped away.

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

"Link?  Are you in here?" Saria peered into Link's tree house.  She was answered with the eerie silence and an empty feeling in her heart. Saria walked in and looked around. There were fresh tears on the floorboards and several of Link's things, namely his sword, shield, slingshots, deku nuts/sticks/seeds, and the ocarina she had given him the first time he'd left the forest, were all gone.

"No…he couldn't have left…not without telling me first…"

"He did leave the first time without telling you." Katya pointed out.

"Because Mido, that jerk, forced him to!" Saria said with a hard edge to her voice. "But…still…he could have left me a note…"

"He did." Katya pointed out again.

"He did?  Where?" Saria asked anxiously as Katya flew over to her with a piece of paper.  The paper was tearstained and had smudged most of the ink, making it very difficult to read Link rather untidy, 'I'm in a hurry' scrawl.

_Saria,_

I'm really sorry, but I can't stay here anymore.  Mido's right, I'm not one of you and I never will be.  He'll never give me a chance to become a proper Kokiri anyways.  The Great Deku Tree sent me a quest before he died, one that required that I leave you and the forest behind.  The time has come for me to leave you once again if I am to fulfill my destiny.  I'm  really sorry I couldn't get the chance to say goodbye.

~Link

"Then…he really did leave." Katya said, her glow dimming a little and her wings drooping.

Saria didn't say anything and was biting her lip to keep herself from crying.  Tears silently ran down her face and she swallowed hard.  Katya saw this and flew to her partner, cuddling against Saria's small, child body, doing her best to make Saria feel better.  Losing any friend was always difficult for Saria to get over, but Link her best friend in the world.  She had raised him from an infant and loved him as a mother would love her own child.  

Saria held Katya tightly against her body, her tears continued coursing down her face and gradually fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Christmas that year was especially lonely for her.  She had never made up with Mido and the other Kokiri were afraid to bring up the matter of Link when talking to her.  Saria would lock herself in her home while the other Kokiri would dance and laugh and celebrate.  The pain and emptiness in her heart was more than she could bear.  She often preferred to be alone, hoping that Link will come back. The other Kokiri knew to avoid her when she was in a depressed state.  She was like this the first time Link had to leave the forest.  Only last time, she was with him when he left.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Years went by and Link never returned.  Saria slowly began to allow herself to be drawn towards the Lost Woods more and more often and staying for longer periods of time. She began to explore further into the ancient temple she had found by the sacred meadow.  

"Funny how I never noticed it before." Saria often murmured as she and Katya were walking through the building.

Katya would always reply with a faint jingle. 

Together, they explored every corner of the temple, knew every block used to build it, but could not understand why it was here, what secrets it held, and why she was so drawn to it.

One day, when she was exploring the several marking on a large block in front of what she assumed was a door, she felt a warm sensation in her body.  She felt as though the great burden of her sorrows had suddenly been lifted off her shoulders and a strange feeling a happiness filled her heart.  

However, she was just beginning to feel a rather familiar presence when Katya suddenly screamed, "Saria!  Look out!"

Saria tried to turn.  But before she could, she felt something heavy strike her in the shoulder.  She struggled to see what had hit her and caught a quick glimpse of a bleached skull face with glowing red eyes just before the world turned black around her.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	2. In the Space Between Dimensions

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda!

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Saria was slowly stirring and groaned.  Her head was throbbing as was her shoulder, yet for some odd reason, she felt as though she were floating.  She slowly cracked open her eyes and let out a gasp of surprise, then winced from the pain of her shoulder.  

Saria looked around again and blinked a few times.  She really _was_ floating!

_"Where…where am I?"_

A thick mist that seemed to be swirling in a slow circle around her surrounded her on all sides.  Her mind was about as foggy as she area around her.  

_"Katya…Where's Katya?"_

Saria looked around frantically, but the mist covered everything within two feet of her in a thick, white blanket.  She could not see the familiar glow of her fairy and began to grow increasingly nervous.

"Katya?" she asked tentatively.

There was no response.

"Katya!" she tried again, this time with a little more force.

Still nothing.

"KATYAAA!!!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Saria floated there in silence for what seemed like days.  She had cried herself to sleep after realizing that Katya was probably, just like Link, and would never be seen again.  She had given up hope that anyone would be able to rescue her considering that even _she_ didn't know where she was.  The darkness in her mind was growing increasingly stronger as the hours passed and she began to feel more and more empty.  She was no longer the cheerful girl the rest of the Kokiri knew her as, but an empty shell of what she once was.  Saria may have lost a few friends for different reasons over the years, but none were as close to her as Link and Katya.  Without them, her life was empty and dull.

"Yah!"

"Hey!  Look out!"

*CLANG*

"I told you so."

"Shut up…"

Saria suddenly became more alert and was straining to see if she wasn't imagining the voices.

"Awroo!!!"

*CLANG*

"Go for the tail! Go for the tail!"

"I heard you the first time!"

That voice…it's seems so familiar…but…how can it?  It doesn't sound like the voice of a Kokiri…but maybe they can help me anyways… "HELP!!!" she yelled.

The voices continued, but from no direction in particular.

She tried again, this time a little louder.

"They can't hear you…"

Saria drew in her breath sharply and looked around. "Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance to you my dearie…but you, on the other hand, are of great importance to my master if he is to conquer this pitiful land." The deep voice replied.

"Where am I?" Saria asked, ignoring the voice that echoed around her.

"Locked away…never to be released…"

"…How…am I of…great importance?" She asked, becoming nervous.

"You are one of the keys to my master's obtaining the triforce…you are also one of the few things that stand in his way of victory…" the voice hissed.

"Obtaining the what?  And for the last time, where are we really???" Saria asked with a hard edge to her voice. "Why won't you show yourself? And what do you mean 'locked away, never to be released?'"

"Ha…you are becoming too nosey for your own good…not that being quiet will do you any good either…heh…"

"If you aren't going to tell me anything useful, then go away!" Saria yelled into the mist.  

The blood drained out of her face when two, glowing red eyes suddenly materialized before her, followed by the bleached skull face and strong, muscular build of a man's body.  The creature before her wore mostly decorated, black armor and a long, beige cape.

"Your first question was who I was…I am now answering it for you…"

Saria turned away and shut her eyes tightly, trying to wish the creature away from her.

"Will you not look upon my body?  After all, it is a copy of what Hyrule's new master looks like…" the creature said, materializing beside Saria and taking a hold of her hand.

Saria tried to pull her hand away, but the creature's grip only tightened.  He suddenly embraced her small body tightly.  Saria could feel his cold breath on her neck.  She struggled briefly before his embrace tightened as well, making her breathing difficult.

"Do not try an escape!  My lord would kill me if you did…not that I have much to worry about…" He sneered. "I was given the same powers as my master, Ganondorf! I used his powers to bring and seal you here! You will never be powerful enough to break free of this space between dimensions! "

He looked at Saria, expecting a look of fear and hatred, but nearly fell over when all he received was a blank look and a stare.

"Space between dimensions? Did you seal yourself in here too?"

"Wha?  Of course not!  I'm projecting an image of myself into the space between dimensions!  Did you think I'd really waste my time coming in here for really?  By projecting my image here, I can talk to you and get other stuff done.

"Then…who are you really?"

"I am Phantom Ganon…my lord's most trusted servant…I will capture and destroy all the sages!  I shall not fail my master!" He cackled, before disappearing.

"What did he mean by that?  And who exactly is this Ganondorf?" Saria whispered to herself, and shivering as she recalled Phantom Ganon's cold, dead feeling against her skin. "Who are these 'sages' that he intends to destroy?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Three down and one left to go!"

Saria chuckled as she heard whoever the person was start cheering.  Even though she could not see the person, she could almost sense his feelings and actions from where she was.  That was rather strange for her, but she took advantage of it now to enjoy the presence of another soul, a soul unlike that Phantom Ganon.  From what she was hearing from the two travelers, they appeared to be exploring one of the rooms of the temple she had been in before Phantom Ganon had knocked her out; she was not sure which room in particular.  For some reason, the presence she felt was warm and felt almost…familiar.  

Why do I keep thinking that?  I've never met anyone who wasn't from some part of  the Kokiri Forest! Maybe I can get some answers from the person if I can ever get out of here.

"Hey! Look! Look look look!!!" she heard the female voice said excitedly.

"What?"

"Lookie! A dooooor…"

"I've already noticed…" Saria heard the man reply dryly. "Now, do you mind telling me how to get up there from down here?"

"Grow wings and fly?"

"Har har…"

Saria smiled the first true smile she had smiled in a long time.  For some reason, this pair seemed to remind her of Link and Navi, never really agreeing with each other, but still managing to get things accomplished anyways.  She grew somber again as she thought of herself and Katya.  Where could the little fairy have possibly gone?  She ran her fingers through her emerald green hair and chewed her lip in worry.  

How am I going to get out of here? Beating against walls to get their attention won't work because there aren't any walls in here…or out here…wherever this is…

She constantly felt like there was something she needed to know, but the information was never getting to her, as though something were blocking it from reaching her.  

That's it! All this floating around is really getting to me! And since when did I start sensing things?

A horse whinnied piercingly and Saria could hear its hooves pounding against the ground.  She also recognized Phantom Ganon's voice, taunting whatever poor soul he had managed to trap and attack for his own pleasure.

I wish I could see what was going on…Saria thought, folding her arms and drifting along. This is boring and very depressing…I wish I knew what had happened to Katya…*sigh*

"Aim for that one!"

*thwak*

"My bad, I meant the one to the right of it."

*thwak*

"Oh no!  He's not in that one anymore!"

"Grr…You're making me waste my arrows!!!"

"Try that --"

*thwak* "…ARGH!!!"

"Ooo, nice shot."

"Go for --"

*thwak* "AAARRRGHHH!!!"

"Are you going to listen to me or not???"

*thwak* "ARGGGGHHHH!!!!!!"

"Fine then! Don't listen to me!" the high pitched voice shrieked, loud enough that it penetrated even the thick fog of the space in between dimensions.

Saria could suddenly feel a faint pulsing in the mist and began to panic.  

What's happening?

A green light was glowing around her, faintly at first, but each time an arrow found its mark, it would glow a little bit brighter.

*thwak* "ARGH!!!"

What's going on?  What's happening to me? Saria thought, her emerald eyes widening in fear.  Suddenly, with a final cry of pain from Phantom Ganon, the green glow exploded into a bright light.

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A/N: This is a really stupid fic, I know…^_^;;; I had nothing better to do so I decided to write this fic.  I know it's not accurate! It's not supposed to follow the storyline **exactly**, anyone can do a novel of the Ocarina of Time!

This was supposed to be **one** story, but I was late for the winter concert the other day and decided to just upload what I had at the moment.  If this had been **one** story, there'd be no need for stupid attempts at cliffhangers!!!

Phantom Ganon: *walks up with six arrows sticking out of his butt* WAH!!! You're mean!

Link0723: O_o;;;

Link: *gives Link0723 a copy of the script*

Link0723: *reads through it again* Yeah? So?

Saria: I sound so boring…

I think the story will only be about three chapters long…That means, the next chapter will most likely be my last unless I get some new ideas and decide to write more.


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